Private Penang Hill and Temple

Staggered on hillside terraces overlooking Air Itam, Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple is a visual delight. Built between 1890 and 1905, Kek Lok Si is the cornerstone of the Malay-Chinese community, which provided the funding for its two-decade-long construction (and ongoing additions). Its key features are the seven-tier Thousand-Buddha Pagoda and an awesome 36.5 meters-high bronze statue of Goddess of Mercy. To reach the temple's main entrance, you'll have to run the gauntlet of souvenir stalls on the uphill path. You'll also pass a pond packed with turtles. There are a lot of stairs involved, but the final stretch up to the statute of Goddess of Mercy is covered by a funicular.